The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-02-11
SOLDERING IN AFRICA.
4 Frenehman's Remarkable AdventuE
while q Captive Among the Arabs.

cars at the Union depot recently.
Among them was a Frenchman
named Victor Muller, with his wife
and two children. He had a remark
able story of adventure his life, and
as he rested in hotel preparatory to
going out house-hunting he related it
to reporter as follows:
when 1 was young had great
love for the army, and at the
age of seventeen l went to Stras-
bOurg to become soldier. was put
into an infantry regiment, from which
l was transferred in six weeks to the
Third regiment of zouaves. While
among them was sent to Algiers,
where staid for about fifteen years,
fighting the Arabs or living the miser-
able life of q French soldier in Tan
gier.'
"Why miserable?"
"Well. the country is awfully hot.
and anybody who is not used to it suf-
fers terribly"
"Did you do any active service?"
Eyes, and plenty of it. The Arabs
on the northern coast of Africa are con-
stantly revolving against the supremacy
of the French, whom that country costs
many a drop of blood in year. Many
Il friend did l lose while l was out
there. Once when we were on the
desert-we had been after detach-
ment of Arab hOrsemen-we lost our
| way, and we rOamed for about a week
through the vast sea of sand which
stretches itself through the northern
part of Africa-the Sahara. Our sup
ply of water had given out, and We
We're almost dying of thirst, while our
knapsacks with provisions were almost
empty. To get some water and some
food we resorted at last to the measure
| of killing one Of the camels that we had
with us. The camel has stomach which
is divided into four parts, one of which
contains the water just rs the animal
drinks it. We opened that part. and to
our great joy there was enough water to
give us all at least a cupful each. On
the sixth day our number had dwindlcd
down to seven, when cavalcade of
Arabian horsemen came upon us, and
we, being too weak to defend ourselves.
were made prisoners and taken to
Taghit, town in Morocco.
Here our Captain was killed in the
most horrible manner by the Arabs.
They tore his nails one by one from his
fingers, cut out his tongue, and
chopped off his ears before they finally
killed him. myself was sold then next
day to rich Moor, who made me his
valet. had here comparatively an easy
life, but they forced me there to join the
religion of MOhammcd. Unfortunately
my master died, and he leaving no
heirs was taken back by the Govern
ment as their property. They. not
being able to dispose Of me immediate
", sent me to Morocco. where l was
put into q dungeon among criminals OF
the most degraded character. How
ever, appealed to the Sultan. through
the governor of the prison, and l was
released. prime ,ally because had be.
come Il Mussu. nan. / ran through the
town. from one end to the other, when
at last l found occupation with Il He
brew, who took me in as a water-car-
rier and general servant. As soon as
had saved some money, / left Morocco
for A!giers. The dangers / encount-
cred on my long and wearisome jour
ney were horrible-not SO much from
the people or from beasts rs from the
horrible climate. For five days | trav.
eled through dreary, barren desert.
l was without food for two days. On
several occasions ! was misled by the
Fata Morgana. The Fata Morgana is
Il refec&on of some distant place in the !
rays of the sun, and is very deceiving
to travellers, especially on the desert.
l had left Tlemeen, the town where |
Abd-el-kader vanished the French in
1885, the day previous. When got |
on the desert l had small flask Of |
water. which l had been obliged to
buy, rs there was drought in Tie
mcen. making water SO scarce that it |
sometimes came to twenty centimes |
-four cents) pint.
''When the water in my flask gave |
out l seemed to feel awfully thirsty:
became terribly detected. my head felt
dizzy and achcd dreadfully. l was |
wishing for the next town with all my |
heart. The sun shone down upon the
country with scorching heat. The sand
was so hot that i. burned the soles of
my feet. With !: fainting heart lifted |
up my head to see whether any trees or
houses appeared ON the horizon. Look
ing up | was pleasantly surprised by
noticing in the distance beautiful vii
lage. The little one-story white houses
We're surrounded with large trees.
whose beautiful green foliage, in con-
trast to the white houses. made up
a nice picture. l fastened to reach
the spot as quickly as possible. but |
imagine my disappointment when
found that the glorious oasis was moth
ing but deception. The next day, al
most ut the point of death, came to a
small settlement, where l recuperatcd
myself from my starving condition.
After a week l arrived in Tangier, |
where was received with joyful hur-
rahs by my old comrades. In the
meantime news had arrived in Algiers
of the war between France and Ger
many. In few days ship took us
away from Africa. We landed in Mar
settles, and were at once dispatched to
the front. l fought under Marshal
Bazine ut Gravelotte, and was taken
prisoner hy the PrussianS who sent me